Nivolet, mountain in France
Nivolet is a mountain summit topped with a distinctive cross that rises to approximately 1,547 meters (5,075 feet) in the French Alps. From this location, visitors can view across wide mountain ridges and, on clear days, toward Lac du Bourget in the distance.
The Nivolet is a limestone crest of the Bauges massif on the western rim above the Chambéry cluse, continued by the mont Revard to the north and the mont Peney to the south-east. Its northern summit reaches 1,558 m above the chalets du Sire, while the southern pic at 1,545 m carries the croix du Nivolet, erected in 1861.
The name Nivolet comes from the Latin nebolatus or nebulatus, meaning "cloudy", which gave the Savoyard word niole. A local proverb says that when the Nivolet puts on its nightcap, Chambéry takes its umbrella. The cross on the southern summit has stood there since 1861.
The summit is reached on foot only; the Croix du Nivolet stands at 1,545 m on the southern peak, while the mountain's highest point is 1,558 m above the Chalets du Sire to the north. The ridge forms the western edge of the Bauges above the Chambéry cluse, so the limestone top is exposed and the weather can close in fast.
The summit functions as a launching point for paragliders who harness the thermal currents that rise from the valley below. These thermal conditions make the site popular for tandem flights and recreational paragliding activities.
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